NEW POLL

Poll: American foreign policy views

Disconnect between Washington’s policies and the preferences of the American people

To better understand the general public’s feelings on various pressing foreign policy issues and to assess the degree of disconnect between elites and the public, Defense Priorities commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey of the foreign policy opinions of 1,000 adult Americans.

VIEW POLL RESULTS

Respondents were polled July 18–24, 2024, about their feelings on the United States’ role in the world and its handling of a range of issues from the Ukraine-Russia war, a China-Taiwan contingency, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and more.

The survey results show Washington is often out of step with the policy preferences of the American people.

You can view the poll here and download a PDF of the full results here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ukraine-Russia

Most respondents (80%) indicated the U.S. should either make aid to Ukraine conditional, reduce aid, or cut aid to Ukraine entirely.
A majority of respondents (52%) did not think Ukraine can win the war against Russia.
A plurality of respondents (42%) expected the Ukraine-Russia war would end through negotiations or a ceasefire, and 26% expected ongoing fighting and trench warfare that may slow or stall but not formally end.
A plurality of respondents (47%) strongly agreed (22%) or somewhat agreed (25%) the U.S. should not allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with U.S. weapons because it could escalate the war and lead to direct NATO-Russia conflict.

China-Taiwan

Just 30% of respondents said the U.S. should defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion given the potential costs.
A plurality of respondents (44%) strongly agreed (19%) or somewhat agreed (25%) that avoiding war with China is more important than Taiwan’s political autonomy from Beijing.
Twice as many people (66%) think the U.S. should require Taiwan to invest more in capabilities to deter China as a prerequisite for any commitments from the U.S. to defend Taiwan.

Israel-Hamas and Saudi Arabia

More than twice as many respondents (47% vs. 20%) indicated the U.S. should use its leverage to encourage Israel to not expand the conflict into Lebanon by going to war with Hezbollah.
A large majority (81%) of respondents opposed a U.S. commitment to send U.S. servicemembers into combat to fight and die to defend Saudi Arabia.

SNEAK PEEK

61% of respondents do not think the U.S. has a strategy for the Ukraine-Russia war.

Do you think the U.S. has a strategy for the Ukraine-Russia War?

Nearly 50% of respondents believed the U.S. should use its leverage to encourage Israel to avoid war with Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah—the terrorist group which controls southern Lebanon—are on the precipice of a major war. The United States is likely to be drawn into any such conflict in an effort to protect Israel. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: U.S. should use its leverage to encourage Israel to not expand the conflict into Lebanon by going to war with Hezbollah.